Apparatus for cracking and distilling oil



APPLlcArmN. E|LED`1AN. 2|, 1921.

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' APPLlcAToN FILED 11111.21. 1921.

1,396,174, Patented Nov. 8, 1921 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. Number 3 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES T. FENTON, OF SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

APPARATUS FOR CRACKING AND DISTILLING OIL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 8, 1921.

Original application led May 1, 1920, Serial No. 378,216. Divided and this application led January 21,

, 1921. Serial No. 438,977.

To all w hom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES T. FnN'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain i new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Cracking and Distilling Oil, of which the following is a specification.

The application for this patent is a division of m application for patent Serial lil8,216, filed May 1st, 1920,'in which the process herein described is claimed.

The present invention relates to apparatus for practising a highly simpliiied method of cracking oils for the production ot oils of lower boiling points and lower molecular weights. The invention is applicableI to the treatment of various kinds of oils, either mineral oils containing paraflins alone or those containing paraiiins and other bodies, such as asphalts, or oils containing aromatic substances, such as crude creosote,v crude naphthalenes, etc., for the production of ,benzene (CGH6 which latter' substance is to be clearly distinguished from benzim a product of petroleum). l

ln the system of cracking or breaking up the molecular structures of various'organic substances (contrary to most of the accepted' principles of the processes heretofore proposed), the cracking or breaking up is not produced by keeping the material to be cracked, and the cracking or distilling mediumv apart,l but in this system the cracking and distilling medium, superheated steam,

' is mixed directly with the material toI be cracked and distilled and kept in a state of constantmotion and agitation, so that in passing through the various portions of the apparatus, the heat of the steam is brought into more intimate contact with the oil under treatment, and the effectiveness of the heat supplied is very greatly enhanced. In the system, the production of coke is entirely eradicated, there being no coke and no free carbon produced at any stage of the process, since the oil and the steam are maintained in a' constant state of agitation, whereby no destructive distillation can be produced.

. A feature of great im )ortance in connection with the invention 1s that through the interaction of the steam and the oil, such contents of crude oil as the natural aromatic gums, etc., will be effectively separated from the lighter fractions (for example gasolene) -Since the former occupies a point of condensation far above that of the gasolene.

`From this it follows that the gasolenes pro- Fig. 2 shows on a somewhat larger scale,

the preferred construction of the cracking chambers and their connections.

Fig. 3 shows a cross section of one of the cracking chambers and illustrates also the Aspiral vanes preferably employed.

Fig. 4 is a detail view of the spirally grooved cone.

Oil isf' introduced throughA the oil feed pipe 10 into a preheater 11, in which the oil is warmed up, but not vaporized. The warm oil'passes through pipe 12 into a mixer-13',

which it will be noted is in the form of an injector, high temperature superheated steam being introduced through pipe 14. The mixture of oil and superheated steam pass through they vpipe 15 into the first cracking chamber 16 in which the o1l 1s instantaneously vaporized, or vaporlz'ed all except the heaviest constituents, which as above noted, it is desired not to crack. From the first cracking chamber the vaporized oil, to ether with unvaporized fractions, pass t rough pipe 17 into the mixer 18, where it is a ain mixed wlth high pres- Suresuperheate steam from the pipe 19. The mixture iows through pipe 20 into a second cracking chamber 21 in which the cracking operation is com leted. The resulting gases and vapors owin their entirety through pipe 22 into the settling and Separating tank 23 where they are expanded.

A baffle 24. is preferably located a short distance in front of the outlet of the pipe 22, in

order to thoroughly mix and commingle the -densers 27, 28, 29 and 30, in which the various grades of oil condense, the least volatile portion condensing in the condenser 27, another portion, say light spindle oils collecting in the condenser 28, kerosene condensing in the condenser 29 and gasolene condensing in the condenser 30. The resulting gases containing light vapors then pass to a rhigolene condenserv 31, in which the gases and f' vapors are preferably cooled to such an extent as to condensethe rhigolene. The remaining gases and vapors containing substantial amounts ofethylene and other hydrocarbonsof the olefin series pass off through the pipe 32 into the sulfuric acid absorbers 33, in which the ethylene is converted into ethyl sulfuric acid, and other gaseous olefins are converted into the corresponding acid products. A

e vapors issuing at 34 may then be compressed and cooled for the'purpose of collecting cymogene.

In the above example,-I .have described particularly the treatment of a petroleum oil, buty I wish it to be understood'that in place of a crude petroleum, a ,petroleum distillate can be employed for example kerosent solar oil, gas oil or the like, and if `desired, also crude creosotes or crude naphthalenes may likewise be treated for the production of benzoles CGI-I6, and other aromatics. Y

By referring to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be noted thatthe cracking receptacle 16 is provided with a heavy heat insulating layer 36, and that inside of this receptacle there is provided, if desired, a vane or ridge 38 of 'any deslred height, for thepurpose of giving a whirling motion to the gases and vapors therein. While it isnot absolutely necessary that such vane or projection be provided, it is advisable to provide the same 1n order to more thoroughly mix and com mingle the oil vapor and superheated steam. The superheated steam supplied by pipes 14 and 19 is under high pressure and is highly superheated, in order to produce and maintain the necessary heat and pressure in the cracking retorts.

The'entire cracking operation is carried out under a superatmospheric pressure andat a high temperature. The temperature in the first cracking retort may be from 500 to 700 F., and the temperature in the second may be from 700 to 1000 F., and the pressure in the first retort may be from 20 to 50 pounds per square inch, and in the second cracking chamber may be from 50 to 80 pounds per square inch. Each particular grade of oil is best treated at a particular temperature, which is found in practice to be the most advantageous forthat particular grade' of oil to produce' just the desired extent of cracking and no more.

The pressure and temperature are maintained at the point necessary with each particular oil to regulate and control the degree of cracking. Accordingly,gitis not possible to give any particular statements of exact pressure and temperatures tobe employed.

It is to be noted -that all of they heat and all of the pressure are supplied by means of the superheated steam introduced through the pipes 14 and 19, and it is not necessary to pass the oil vapor or the oil while undergoing decomposition through coils or chambers located in furnaces which operation has been heretofore usually considered essential in oil cracking, and this has been open to the objections of producing considerable quantities ofV cokeor hard carbon, `by a far-reach' ing cracking operation. Such production of coke is entirely avoided in the present case, by avoiding the unnecessary high heats and the lvaluable portions of the oil under treatment which would becracked in this manner are thereby saved.

The oil preheater 11 may in some cases be dispensedwith. However, I find it advisable to preheat the oil to a temperature of, say, 100 to 150? C., or in any event,to not over 175 to' 200o C., before'the same is first treated with the superheatedsteam. This operation is for the purpose of impartin some heat to the oil without any danger o cracking before the same enters the process. The oil entering pipe 12 may be at about 'atmospheric pressure or a slight pressure higher level. This amount of pressure, how- 110 i ever, is negligible and may be disregarded for the purpose of the present invention.

In connection with the advantages of the system of cracking oil, as hereinabove described, I call attention to the'feature that 115 all of the cracking is produced simultaneously as distinguished from numerous prior processes which have been proposed in which the cracking is produced fractionally or in a number of Successive stages. In ordinary cracking of petroleum'oils, in accordance with the present invention ,the idea is to produce as much as possible of the gasolene or petroleumn ether fractions with the production of a minimum of the other materials present.

A furtherr advantage to be noted is that the apparat-us does not have to be operated continuously to prevent freezing up since there are no accumulations of heavy materials to freeze in the plant if allowed to go` cold. For stopping the process it is necessary only to shut olf the feed of oil, allow steam to blow through the apparatus for a few minutes and the Whole plant will be clear and clean and the flow of steam can then be cut off and the plant allowed to cool. Similarly, in starting operations, it is necessary only to blow steam through the apparatus for a short time in order to preheat it and then after the working temperature has been reached, turn on the oil feed and the cracking operation begins at once, thereby it being readily possible, starting from a cold apparatus, to havefthe cracking process under way at full capacity in from 20 to 30 minutes.

A feature of importance is the instant and absolute control of the ratios of steam and oil, depending upon the particular kind of oil treated.

It is advisable, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawing, to makethe rear ends of the cra-cking chambers (or the ends opposite to the intake of the vapor to the chambers) renewable, since the friction of the oil vapor and steam pounding against these bottoms may wear out the same in a relatively shorttime, or much before the normal wearlng I out of the other portions of the apparatus. It is, in many cases, also advisable to place the baille plate 4;() in each of these chambers as illustrated in Fig. 2, so that the vapors and gases will impinge upon this baffle plate 40 which may be readily renewable. If desired, the baille plate 40 may be given any desired shape in order to produce a rotary or whirling action of the gases and vapors in the cracking chambers, so as to produce more complete mixing. For this purpose, a plate with a spirally grooved cone center may be useful, as shown at 40a in Figs.' 3 and 4.

I have above referred to the absence of extraneous heating by furnaces and the like, such as common in the prior patents, which have been issued in this art.

The ethylene sulfuric acid produced in the sulfuric acid absorption apparatus as well `as the other members of thls series can be used for the production of alcohols, by

yappropriate treatment with water, so that alcohol may constitute' a by-product of the process.

I desire to call particular attention to the fact that in my process, it is advisable to so adjust the temperature, pressure, proportion of steam and other` factors that the 'high boiling products, such as paraffin, vaseline and cylinder stock will not, at least to any substantial extent, be cracked, since these materials are of higher value than the lighter product's which would be produced by such cracking. The cracking is accordingly largely effected in the kerosene, solar ,i I claim oil and gas oil fractions Whereas the heavier products, as well as the gasolene present, are merely distilled. The fractions above stated, which are cracked in the present process, are the products which at the present time are of low value, relatively to the cylinder oil, paraffin and gasolene.

In the drawing, I have shown four condensers, 27, 28, 29 and 30. It is, of course, to be understood that the number of condensers may be greatly increased, if desired, thus for example, instead of using four only, I might employ ten or more of such con. densers, depending upon the number of separate products which are to be recovered from a given treatment. The temperature of the several condensers will be controlled by suitable cooling baths, so that the productA condensed therein will, usually without further refining, be suitable for placing on the market.

In a modified form of operation, the temperatures employed in the various steps of the process may be so adjusted that the operations which go on will be principally distilling, without any substantial amount of cracking. For this, low temperatures will usually be employed in the vessels 16 and 2l.

While I have above referred to the ability to crack a part of the oil while leaving-the heavy cylinder oil uncracked (the latter generally being more valuable than the products which would be produced by cracking the same) I call attention to the fact that the apparatus can be so regulated and operated that all of the components of the oil can be cracked if so desired. I also call attention to the fact that the cracking ratio can be regulated and controlled to a nicety by regulation of the ratio of oil being treated and the cracking medium to each other. This same regulation can also be employed when the apparatus is operated as a still whereby the ratio of superheated steam (or other rareied expanded hot gases or vapors) to oil will regulate and control the ratio of distillation, z'. e., the ratio of the amount of product collecting in the tank 23 to the amount of product passing out through conduit 26 to the condensers. Both canbe controlled also by the regulation of the temperature of the cracking or distilling medium.

l. Apparatus for cracking oil comprising a source of superheated steam, a source of oil to be cracked, a cracking chamber, an injector connected with the sources of oil and steam where the oil and steam are first mixed and which delivers to the cracking chamber, a separator and expansion chamber of greater area than either cracking chamber connected with the cracking chamber, a condenser connected with the separator and eX- pansion chamber into which the cracked constituents are forced by the pressure produced by the steam injected into thel cracking chamber, and means for drawmg off from the separa-tor the remaining constitu ents of the oil.`

2. Apparatus for cracking oil, comprising a source of superheated steam, a source of oil to becra'cked, a cracking chamber, an injector connected with the sources of oil and steam and deliverincr to the cracking chamber, a second cracking chamber connected with the chamber first mentioned, means for injecting steam with all ofthe reaction products from the first chamber into the second chamber, a separate separator and eXpansion chamber of greater area than either cracking chamber connected with the second cracking chamber, means for drawing off from the separator uncracked constituents and a condenser connected with the separator into which the cracked constituents are forced by the pressure produced by the steam injected into the cracking chambers.

3. Apparatus for cracking oil comprising a source of superheated steam, a source of oil to be cracked, a cracking chamber, an injector connected with" the source of oil and steam, an inlet pipe leading from the injector and passing through one end of the cracking chamber and delivering thereinto near its opposite end, means in the crackingchamber for agitating the oil and steam, an outlet pipe connected with the cracking chamber at a point remote from the discharge end of the inlet pipe, an expansion chamber and separator connected with the said cracking chamber, means for drawing off from the separator uncracked constituents, and a condenser connected with the separator into which the cracked constituents are forced by the pressure produced by the steam injected into the cracking chambers.

a source of superheated steam, a source of :oil to be treated, a treating chamber, an injector connected with the sources of oil and steam and delivering to the treating chamber, a second steam-treating chamber connected with the chamber first mentioned, means for injecting steam with all of the reaction products from the first chamber into the second chamber, an expansion chamber of greater area than either steam-treating chamber, connected with. the second steamtreating chamber, and a condenser connected with the expansion chamber into which constituents of the treated oil are forced by the pressure produced by the steam injected into the treating chambers. y

5p Apparatus for treating oil, comprising a source of superheated steam, asource of oil to be treated, a treating chamber, an injector connected with the sources of oil and steam and delivering to the treating chamber, a second treating chamber connected with the chamber first mentioned, means for injecting steam with all of the reaction products from the first chamber into the second chamber Where they are treated at a higher temperature, a separator and expansion chamber of greater area than either of said treating chambers connected .with the second steam-treating chamber, means for periodically drawing off from the separator the less volatile constituents, and a condenser connected with the separator into which the more volatile constituents are forced by the pressure produced by the steam injected into the steam-treating chambers.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

JAMES T. FENTON. 

